Sorter and counter for pharmaceutical products



Nov. 5, 1957 s. A. MISTRETTA 2,812,076

SORTER AND COUNTER FOR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS Filed Oct. 21. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR Sabazia/'a Msre@ ATTORNEYS Nov. 5, 1957 s. A. MlsTRETTA soRTER ANU COUNTER FCR PHARMACEUTICAL PRODUCTS Filed ont. 21. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTOR Salmcre A. MZLSZh/@za/ mii SORTER AND COUNTER FOR PHARMA- CEUTICAL PRODUCTS l Salvatore A. Mistretta, Washington, D. C.

Application October 21, 1955, Serial No. 542,047 1 Claim. (Cl. 214-1) This invention relates to a portable form of counting device and more particularly to a sorter and counter of medicinals generally sold by pharmacists in the form of tablets, pills, capsules, etc.

By and large, it is general practice for both physicians and pharmacists in the dispensing of items of this nature to count them out by hand or roughly approximate a number of them prior to filling a small bottle or container with such capsules. It is obvious that, in present times, where untold thousands of synthetic antibiotics and like medicinals are distributed, medicine in tablet form is often quite expensive and, hence, counting a number of them by hand as a matter of economy is often necessary. It is further evident that such a manual method of assorting is time-consuming and, also, that in the long run, it cannot be accomplished as accurately as when performed by a mechanical device capable of quick and precise counting.

Devices have been suggested in the past to enable the sorting or counting of a predetermined number of such tablets to obviate the manual operations just referred to. However, such prior art units have not been generally accepted by the pharmaceutical trade, perhaps because they either are not capable of making an accurate count of a predetermined number of capsules or are cumbersome to handle, or such devices, being limited to tablets of definite size and shape, cannot be interchangeably, conveniently used to segregate definite amounts of tablets which are different in size with respect to their geometrical proportions.

My invention does overcome the mentioned disadvantages common to the prior art; it does permit an accurate counting, tabulation and sorting of a predetermined number of medicinal capsules with slight chance of error, and it also provides a device which is interchangeable in character or one that without undue inconvenience is readily adaptable to preselect a denite number of tablets of almost any given size or shape. In fact, although only representative examples are given of the manner by which the device can be altered to make it accommodate tablets of different sizes and contours, it will be readily appreciated that it can be fabricated so as to be fashioned for use with any shape or size of capsule or tablet.

It is, accordingly, a primary object of my invention to provide a compact, portable and accurate device for sorting and counting a predetermined number of medicinal preparations in capsule or tablet form.

It is a further objective of the invention to provide a device of the vdescribed nature which is tted with a number of interchangeable capsule receiving slides or paddles, the latter being provided with depressions designed to lit the contour of individual tablets of dilerent size and shape. It is a further objective of the invention to provide a counting device that enables handling of the pharmaceutical material without actual touching of the latter by the operator.

It is another objective to provide a simplified counter device which permits convenient discharge of the excess United States Patent O 2,812,076 Patented Nov. 5, 1957 2 number of units to the receptacle from which poured without spillage.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a portable counter of the described type which is provided with a transparent top or closure member permitting observation and removal of any imperfect tablets which may have been admitted to the counter.

With these advantages and objectives in mind, reference is now made to the following drawings which more particularly describe the preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein: l

Figure 1 is a plan view of the invention showing the top in place and one of the sliding plates or paddles positioned in the bottom plate of the counter;

Figure 2 is a section View taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

v Figure 3 is a section view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure .1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of one of the alternate types of sliding plates or paddles that can be utilized with the invention, such being titted with an additional overlying plate so as to limit the number of capsules which would be retained on the paddle; and

Figure 5 is a section view of another type of sliding paddle containing depressions of different configuration for the reception of capsules and also illustrating an overriding plate, limiting the number of tablets which will be counted by the type of paddle device utilized.

It is preferred that the several structures involved in the invention be made of a clear, transparent material such as, for example, the synthetic plastics commercially marketed under the trade-names Plexiglas or Lucite. This enables visual examination of the interior of the counter enabling the operator to more readily determine the presence of defective tablets which need be removed, and to conveniently ascertain whether or not the pharmaceuticals which have been discharged into the counter have filled the desired number of spaces or depressions in the slide which has been picked for use.

Referring more particularly to Figure 1, it is seen that the floor or bottom 1 of the counter has a definite shape at its forward or discharge end, being cut angularly as at 2 and 4 upon approximately a 120 angle. Such terminates in a front portion 5 which is parallel to the back edge of this bottom plate 1.

Each edge of the bottom of the counter is fitted with vertical, upstanding sides of relatively substantial height such as the backside 8, the two sides 9 and 10 and the sides 14 and 15 which follow the angular edges 2 and 4, respectively, already referred to. Hence the structure thus far described constitutes a container in the form of a tray to which an indeterminate number of objects can be discharged.

In the preferred form of the invention, as indicated above, the sides 8, 9 and 10 are surmounted by a top cover 20 which extends from the back edge 8 approximately two-thirds of the distance forward to the discharge edge 5 of the tray. Thus, approximately one-third of the tray remains uncovered, such opening on the top thereof permitting the pouring of the pharmaceutical units from the bulk supply directly into the counter in quantities estimated to be sufficient.

This top 20 is hinged to the backside 8 by means of hinges 22 and 24, shown in Figure l, thus permitting the operator to pivot the top upwardly if access is desired to any of the units which have been discharged into the 4device for counting or sorting purposes.

Referring to Figure 3, it is seen that the bottom plate 1 of the tray is provided with a rectangular or V-shaped opening bounded on two sides by V-grooves 26 and 28, respectively, and extending substantially the length of the bottom. These are adapted to receive in sliding relationship a slide or paddle of the desired characteristics l having reference to the concavites or depressions which are adapted to receive a predetermined number of capsules. or tablets.. Thus, slide, 25, as showninvFigure3, has depressions 27'of one configuration adapted yto receive pharmaceuticalsof the usual round,. tablet formation. The slide or paddle 30, illustrated intFigure 4, is fitted with a different type of socket or concavity 33, these being ovalin shape and designed to receive another customary and Well-known type of medicinal capsule. An,dagain, the side view in Figure 5 in section illustrates another alternative formV of depression 43 whichis here depicted as a concavity hemispherical in shape to receive round or spherical tablets. Such slides are, of course, of sueient size` to fill thereferredto rectangular opening in thebase or bottom of theA tray. At the forward edge thereof, these paddles preferably have a front edge, here shown as perpendiculanwhich is complementary to the front edge of the rectangular opening in the base. It is preferred that the slides or paddles be of a length that, when positioned in the base so as to abut the front of the rectangular opening, the rear of the paddle will terminate in approximate alignment with the back side 8 of the tray.

In anyevent, it is to be appreciated that countless other types of slides or paddlesl can be devised with the depressions for tablet reception being formed in a manner to receive a pharmaceutical of the type generally referred to andA which is` sold in any unusual or different shape and proportion.

One common `feature of all of these slides is the formation of the sides or edges so as to permit this type of tray to be engaged in slidable relationship with the V-grooves 26 and 28, hereinbefore referred to with respect to Figure 3. Thus, the paddle 30 containing the oval depressions 33 is provided, in this preferred embodiment of the invention, with two angular bevels or edges 31 and 32, angled to the degree to enable a relatively precise but slidable fit of the slide within the grooves 26 and 28 formed in the base 1 as described above; similarly, the paddle 4f) shown in Figure 5 is provided with sides having V edges or tongues 41 and 42 also adapted to enable this sliding relationship with the bottom of the tray. All sides of the base 1 are raised, as described, so as to allow free movement of the objects to be counted and to preventtheir spilling. And it will be further appreciated that with respect to each of the panels 25, 3G and 40, what might be termed a tongue and `groove tit has been provided, enabling the paddle to be removed andreplaced quickly, easily and securely.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of means to.y cover a predetermined number of depressions in any given slide. Thus, as will be well understood, tablets or capsules are generally distributed in numbers of 25, 50, 36 and 40, or at least in even lots. If a given paddle or slide is provided with, for example, fifty depressions, such. as the one shown in Figure 4, it is often desirable to have this number conveniently changed'so that half that amount of pharmaceuticals could be counted. Accordingly, a plate 50, as disclosed in Figure 5, may be formed with a few projections 51 of a configuration adapted to approximate the configuration of the depressions in the slide to which this type of plate is to be applied. This cover plate 50 may be approximately half the size of the paddle 40. Thus, if the projections 51 arevmade to fit rather tightly into such depressions, here indicated at 43, then it is apparent that upon placing the plate 50 in the position indicated in this gure, it will be retained in that position covering up half of the depressions 43 appearing in this slide 40.

Similarly, and referring to Figure 4, a plate 55 can be fabricated in an obvious manner with like nubs or projections to rather tightly fit into several of the depressions 33 which, in Figure 4, are illustrated as oval'in configuration for the reception of the lozenge type of pharmaceutical. It is evident that an infinite variety of combinations may be employed so that several plates could be used with each type of paddle to permit an alternate count to be made of tablets which are discharged into the tray. In this manner, the operator can easily, quickly and accurately dispense, within practical limits, any predetermined number of tablets or capsules.

It should, of course, be fully appreciated that the discharge side of the counter represented by the side 5 shown in Figure 1 is, in fact, in the form of an open spout or funnel permitting excess materials to be discharged from the tray of the counter through the opening or passageway existing between the two adjacent edges of the sides 14 and 15.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the device comprising this invention should be apparent. Briefly, it maybe described as follows:

The operator selects the proper removable section adaptable to the size or shape of the object to be counted and slides this into the base. Then, from his bulk` supply, he pours in a sutiicient quantity of objects to be counted and, by gently shaking of the counter, the depressions in the slide or paddle will all become filled, each holding one. The excess isreturned to his bulk supply simply.

object. by tilting the base to the funneled opening and allowing the objects to return into the bulk supply.

The objects` remaining are those to be dispensed. They are clearly visible through the top cover and may be inspected for imperfections. By one or two snap motions, up and down, while the base is held in a tilted position, the objects will dislodge themselves from the depressions and fall to the side of the frame where, by tilting the frame forward, they will pass through the funneled opening into the container to be dispensed.

It is obvious that this invention may be varied in many Ways and other expedients employed to accomplish the purposes thereof; however, it is to be understood` that my invention is only limited by the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

In a counting device, an object receiving tray, said tray. having upstanding side, rear and bottom walls, said side walls forming a funneled outlet at the forward end of said tray, said bottom wall having a rectangular slot therein extending from the rear of said bottom Wall to a position adjacent said outlet, the opposite sides of said slot beingy provided with grooves therein, an imperforate slide having means on the sides thereof for engagement with said grooves whereby said slide may reciprocate in said bottom wall and be removed therefrom, said slide being in the same plane as said bottom wall, a transparent cover pivotally mounted upon said rear wall and adapted to cover a substantial portion of said tray whereby imperfect objects discharged to said tray may be observed and removed, a predetermined number of object receiving` depressions in said imperforate slide, a cover means interftting with and covering` a predetermined number of said depressions whereby a predetermined number of objects discharged to said tray will settle in said depressions and the excess thereof may be discharged through said outlet.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,536,127 De Philip Ian. 2, 1951 2,706,072 Furno Apr. 12, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,894 Great Britain Feb. 22 1899 19,326 Great Britain Sept. l5. 1908 

